SF37 CANCELLED
Our loyal Marathon Nation, the day we've been dreading has finally arrived. As much as it pains us to do so, we're going to have to activate the Doomsday Machine and cancel The 37th Annual Ohio 24-Hour Science Fiction Marathon. Science Fiction is an ironic genre for this happening, as we can no longer avoid Science Facts. It's looking increasingly like the movie theater business will not be the same for at least the rest of the year, and even if we were able to put on an event like this in the near term, it would have to be with greatly reduced capacity and duration (and thus, greatly increased cost.) And the recent spikes in the Coronavirus across the nation, added to the distinct possibility of another spike in the Fall, have created an untenable situation for us, especially as we want to keep everyone as safe as possible.
Because our ticket sales were through three different outlets, we'll have to handle ticket refunds on a gradual basis, with several different methods. In over 30 years of Marathons, we've never had to do something like this, so we deeply appreciate all of your patience as we embark on this process. As we mentioned before, we're currently in a substantial financial hole with the non-refundable promotional and coffee mugs costs we've already incurred (costs which normally would be reimbursed from ticket sales), so if you'd like to not receive a refund for your ticket, we can always add that toward the general fund we're using to make up for the lost funds.
- If you bought tickets through PayPal, we're going to start refunding tickets this FRIDAY JULY 3rd. If you don't want a refund, and would like your ticket money to go toward our general fund to cover our other non-refundable expenses, please e-mail us at ohio24hourmarathons@hotmail.com or DM us on Facebook BY FRIDAY JULY 3rd. If you'd like to shift your ticket money over to our SF37 merch (full details on the tickets page), let us know via e-mail or DM and we can make arrangements. Otherwise, your refund will begin processing this Friday (it might take several business days to be fulfilled).
- If you bought your ticket at Laughing Ogre Comics (4258 N. High St., Columbus, Ohio) , we'll have to issue a cash refund to you. You'll have to bring your ticket with you so that the staff can mark your number off and give you the appropriate cash amount (although you're welcome to keep the ticket as a souvenir). This process should begin at NOON, SATURDAY JULY 18th, when we begin our SF37 merch sale. You'll also be able to stop by anytime after that date to receive your refund (although we're asking that you do this in a timely manner, if possible, as the Ogre is doing us a big favor by handling this end of things.)
- If you bought your ticket at the Drexel Theatre (2254 E. Main St., Columbus, Ohio), hold tight. We're making arrangements with them, and are hoping to have news on that end soon. They're in the midst of a limited reopening, so it might be a week or two before we have full details. As with the Laughing Ogre tickets, you'll also likely have to bring your ticket to be checked off at the box office.
Thanks again for all the support you've given to our loony endeavor over the years. It breaks our hearts to have to do this, but we're hoping that a brighter day for the Marathons lies in the future. Each and every one of you has become an indelible part of our lives, so we hope that in the immediate future, you're safe and healthy. KLAATU BARADA OHIO!
